'SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD': MARIO AND FRIENDS GET CATTY

This time, Princess Peach is no damsel in distress as she teams up with Mario, Luigi and Toad to save the hapless Sprixie fairies from familiar foe Bowser. The dude just never learns. Still, that’s good news to gamers, as it means more Mario games. Although the plot remains as thin as George Costanza’s hair, gameplay remains as good as ever. The game features classic Mario platforming that pays homage to the series’ history while also adding some new twists. The influence of “Super Mario Bros. 2” especially is noticeable in the four characters’ abilities. You’ve got Mario as your solid all-rounder, Luigi as your high jumper and Peach as the floater. Toad, meanwhile, trades in strength for speed. New additions such as the cat suit and character-cloning double cherry also help keep things fresh and crazy.

Although the Wii U won’t match the graphical prowess of the PS4 and Xbox One, “Super Mario 3D World” still looks great running at 720p and 60 frames per second. Gauging positioning can be difficult at times, especially in isometric mode, but the game does a great job of mixing 2D and 3D platforming overall. Hidden stars and local co-op help with replayability as well. If you love the Mario series or adventure games in general, then “Super Mario 3D World” is a can’t-miss game. It’s easily one of the best renditions of 3D platforming and the Mario formula to date.

C6 IPHONE CASE TRADES PROTECTION FOR LIGHTNESS

Like paper or plastic at the grocery store, picking a smartphone case often involves a philosophical choice. In the case of smart users, those choices involve a tradeoff between weight and protection. For C6’s iPhone shells, the choice the company made is pretty obvious.

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At first glance, color is the first thing consumers likely will notice about C6’s cases. The company’s iPhone offerings come in as many as 12 colors from more laid back white, black and gray to eye-popping yellow, tangerine and aqua. In short, there’s likely a color in C6’s palette that will please everyone from the Amish Mafia to Hulk Hogan. The surface, meanwhile, features a soft, supple exterior as opposed to the cheap, plastic look seen in some of its competitors. Another plus for the C6 is that it feels quite light. Compared to fort-like cases that emphasize protection, the C6 takes a more open and no frills approach. It pretty much covers the back of the iPhone but leaves generous openings along the sides for the device’s controls and ports. Installing the case also is quite easy.

The case’s minimalistic design, however, comes with a price — lack of adequate protection from falls. Drop your iPhone on concrete back first and your beloved gadget likely will be OK. Drop it from the side or front, however, and you’re looking at a potentially different story. Ultimately, the C6 iPhone case is designed to be more of a fashion statement than a highly protective covering for your smartphone.

NO FAIRY TALE: 'THE WOLF AMONG US' IS ALL GROWN UP

What happens when fairy tales grow up? Pretty bad things, apparently, according to the first episode of Telltale Games’ latest creation, “The Wolf Among Us.”

An interactive point-and-click adventure along the same vein as Telltale’s “Walking Dead” series of games, “The Wolf Among Us” upgrades the classic genre popularized by PC players of yesteryear for today’s modern times. This means old-school mechanics such as multiple-choice answers that impact how the story progresses combined with a sharp comic book look that meets today’s graphical standards. The noir art style perfectly complements the episodic game’s story, which paints a harsh reality about the fairy tale characters that everyone adored as kids. In “The Wolf Among Us,” the reformed Big Bad Wolf, known as Bigby, now acts as sheriff of Fabletown, home for fairy tale characters who fled their homeland. Fairy tale endings are few and far between in Fabletown, however, as its residents succumb to real-life problems such as alcoholism and even murder. It’s a sobering account for many people familiar with the more wondrous stories of their childhood, especially after seeing once heroic characters reduced to a pitiful state.

Besides conversation and exploration, the game also serves up some action primarily through quick-time events. The action is smooth but admittedly quite simple compared to full-blown action games. But even though the game won’t whet appetites of action lovers, it truly shines with the story. Try it if you like the Vertigo comic book it’s based on or good storytelling in general.